Self-opening bottle cap



Nov. 30 1926. 1,608,908

H. G. NORWOOD SELF OPENING BOTTLE CAP Original Filed April 21. 1925Patented Nov. 30, 1926.

,.*UNITED STATES HABRY- e. uoRwoon, or BALTIMORE, MARYLAND.

- SELF-OPENING BOTTLE CAP.

Application filed April 21, 1923, Serial No. 633,714. Renewed April 24,1926.

This invention relates to certain new and useful improvements inself-opening bottle caps or seals and'has particular reference to thattype of cap known in the art as a crown'seal wherein the side flange orskirt of the cap is provided with crimps for engaging an annular bead atthe mouth of the bottle or container.

The primary object of the invention resides in the provision of a cap orseal of the crimped type, and constructed of nonresilient metal topermit removal thereof from a bottle or other receptable without the useof a bottle opening device or similar implement.

Another object of the invention embodies a bottle cap of thecrimpedtype, as above set forth, the provision of protuberances inthehead or upper wall of the cap adapted to. permanently shift outwardlysections of the side crimps in the skirt flange, when pressure isexerted on said protuberances in av direction longitudinally of the axisof the bottle. v A further object of the invention has particularreference to the method of forming the cap, wherein a blanksubstantially circular in plan view, has spaced peripheral projectionsthat are distorted during the 0 method of forming the cap to be movedinwardly of the body portion of the cap and provide material for theformation of upwardly projecting protuberances upon the head of the cap.with the outer edges of the peripheral projections lying in the sameplane with the free edge of thecap skirt and forming a part of' thecrimped skirt.

A still further obiect of the present invention is the provision from acircular to blank of a bottlecap in which the head of.

the cap is embossed to form ,protuberances and the edge of the skirtlies in a single plane but does not define a true circle.

Another object-of the invention has refer ence to the construct-ion of abottle cap of the crimped type wherein the same is formed from a blankof irregular design that is bent and distorted into cap formation. Withthe above and other objects in view, the invention consists of the novelform,

combination and arrangement of parts'hereinafter more fully described,shown in the accompanying drawing and claimed.

In the drawing, wherein'like reference characters designatecorresponding parts.

throughout the several views,

Figure- 1 is a crosssectional view of a bottle cap constructed inaccordance with the present inventlon, operatively posltioned upon themouth of a bottle, a portion of which is illustrated.

Fig. 2 is a side elevational view of the cap, showing the crimped sideskirt and the spaced protuberances projecting upwardly from the head ofthe cap. 6

Fig. 3 is .a top lan viewof the cap showing the elongatedp'rotuberances.

Fig. 4 is a plan view of a cap made from a circular blank.

Fig. 5 is a vertical section showing the position of the parts after thecap has been deformed to permit its removal.

Fig. 6 is a plan of the blank from which the cap of. Figs. 2 and 3 ismade.

Figs. 7 and- 8 are views of a bottle cap 5 embodying the invention butbeing of the spun-on type, the views being a vertical section and topplan, respectively.

Briefly described. the present invention aims to provide a bottle cap orcontainer 30 closure that is adapted to be removed from a bottle orcontainer without the necessity of employing the usual type of openingdevices Or a similar implement, the cap being constructed in a mannerwhereby pressure upon the head thereof will cause the side skirt orflange to be movedoutwardly thereby breaking the air-tightseal for thebottle or jar and permitting ready removal of the cap therefrom. The capis preferably formed from a blank of irregular design, said blank beingsubstantially circular in plan view and having spaced peripheralprojections that are adapted to be moved into the body portion of theblank and cap durl ing the bending of the blank to form the same into acap and transferring the material in said projections into the head ofthe cap in the form of protuberancesof such. shape as to shift theadjacent portion of the side skirt or flange of the cap outwardly whenthe protuberances are flattened 'for the purpose of permitting easyremoval of the cap without the necessity of employing opening devices. 3

Referring more in detail .to the accompanying drawing, and particularlyto Figs.

1 2. 3, and 6. there is illustrated in Fig. 6, a blank 10, from whichthe cap is formed, of substantially circular formation, the blank beingstruck from non-resilientmetal preferably thinner than usually employedfirmly pressed against a solid object and forthe' purpose and carryingthree or more equi-spaced peripheral projections 11.

In bending the blank 10 into cap formation as illustrated in Figs. 1, 2,and 3, said blank, in addition to being bent, has the material thereofdistorted for transferring or moving the material of the projections 11into the body portion of sald blank, the bending and distortion of themetal inthe blank 10 and projection 11 forming a head 13 which isembossed to provide spaced upwardly arched protuberances 14 furtherforming the side flange or skirt 15 for the cap. With the cap so formed,the outer edges of'the projections 11 lie in the same plane with thelower edge of the skirt 15, and said skirt is continuously crimped as at16 in the ordinary manner. The cap has the usual disk cork lining '17 asshown in Figs. 1 and 5.

In the form shown in Fig. 4 the cap which is formed from a circularblank is generally similar to that of the preferred form save that theplan View of the edge of the skirt is not quite circular formingperipheral projections 18 as shown because of the drawing away of thematerial between the projections 18 to form the embossed portions 19exactly similar to the portions 14 of the preferred form. In Figs. 7 and8 a still further modification is shown. In these two figures the cap isnot crimped but is made with a smooth outer skirt 20 as illustrated-andbeing designed for straight edge bottles or containers or for use wherethe cap is to be spun onthe bottle, jar, or other container. Inoperationthe cap with its cork disk or seal 17 is forced in firm contact with thebottle and the metal cap is then permanently sealed by the usualcrimping machines which bend the skirt 15 under the bead in the glasscontainer and hermetically seal the contents. It will be noted from Fig.1 that the central plane portion of the cap is of greater diameter thanthe internal diameter of the neck of the bottle; in other words, in thepreferred form of the invention the embossed portions or protuberanceslie entirely above the solid glass of the bottle or container. When itis desired to open the bottle the bottle is pressure appliedlongitudinally of the axis of the bottle. This pressure is transmittedthrough the embossed portions only and tends to 'flatten them. Theeffect of the v flattening of the embossed portions is to deform thecrimped edge of the cap or seal and to restore the crimped edge in largemeasure to its original shape. In any event pressure on anembossed'portion causes a distortion of the material in the sections 22between the protuberance pressed and causes the crimps to move outwardlyof the bead of the bottle neck, thereby breaking the airmoval thereof.It is preferred, however, to

press simultaneously against all three of the embossed portions, thiscausing the skirt section to fulcrum on the top edge of the bottle neckbead and to cause an outward-movement of the entire skirt and since thecap is formed of thin and non-resilient metal the skirt will assumepermanently the position into which it is deformed or distorted by theflattening out of the protuberances. I find that the particular shape ofthe cap illustrated enables me to use a thinner blahk than is customaryin the art, The use of non-resilient metal in the making of caps of thisnature is practically universal and I do not wish this term to bemisunderstood as applying to the making of blanks from.

a sheet of metal which is non-resilient in large sheets. The blankitself, however, when made from sheet metal of the type usually employedand pressed into the shape shown in the various figures will be found tobe substantially non-resilient in that upon deforming the metal eitherto crimp it on the bottle or to remove the cap from the bottle thedeformation will be permanent.

What I claim is:

1. A bottle or container cap formed of nonresilient sheet metal andembodying a head and skirt, said head being embossed to provide aplurality of spaced protuberances adapted to shift and expand the skirtupon applying flattening pressure on one or more of the protuberancesfor the purpose of readily removing the cap from a bottle neck orcontainer.

2. A bottle or container cap formed of nonresilient sheet metal andembodying a head and, crimped skirt, said head being emfrom a ottleneck'or container.

ose of readily removing the cap 3. A cap embodying a head and a skirtcharacterized by the provision of a protuberance embossed in the head ofthe cap in such a position-as lie to one side of the bore of the bottleand being adapted to expand the skirt to break the seal upon theapplying of flattening pressure to the protuberance.

4. In a bottle cap of the crimped type, a cap formed from a blanksubstantially circular in plan view with spaced peripheral projections,said blank being bent to provide a head and annular skirt, andprotuberances carried by the head and formed adjacent sa'id projectionswith the outer ends of the projections lying in the same plane with thelower edge of the skirt.

5. In a bottle cap of the crimped type, a

2 blank to form said ca formed from a blank substantially circu ar inplan View and having spaced peripheral projections, said blank beingbent to form a head and crimped skirt with the wall of the skirtdistorted toshift the material in the projections into said head to formupper protuberances.

6. In a bottle cap, wherein said cap 'is formed ofnon-resilient metal,wherein said cap embodies a head and a crimped skirt, wherein said-headcarries spaced protuberances upon the upper surface thereof, and whereinsaid cap is removable from a bottle neck upon pressure on theprotuberances tolaterally shift the crimped skirt, said cap being formedof a blank substantially circular in plan view and having spacedperipheral projections that are adaptedt'o be distorted, and moved intothe body of the rotuberances.

7 In as bottle or ar cap, a head, a dependj I a: bottle cap, whereinsaid C P mgannular skirt, and spaced protuberances formed ofnon-resilient, metal, wherein said ca embodies a head and a skirt,wherein said head carries spaced protuberances upon the upper surfacethereof, and wherein said cap is removable from a bottle neck u onpressure on the protuberances to shift aterally said skirt, said capbeing formed of a blank substantially circular in plan View and havingspaced peripheral projections that are adapted to be distorted and movedinto the body of the blank to form said protuberances.

HARRY G. NORWOOD.

